As family mourns slain mother of 5, tragedy traced

The children of stabbing victim Casey Wilsey, 37, attend the funeral of their mother, pictured at back, at Knauff Funeral Home Chapel in Williston, Fla., Friday, January 17, 2014. The Gainesville Sun was given permission by family members to cover the funeral.

Doug Finger/The Gainesville Sun

By Monivette CordeiroStaff writer

Published: Sunday, January 19, 2014 at 6:07 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, January 19, 2014 at 6:07 p.m.

GAINESVILLE -- Shirley Maples wrote a poem in 1993 for a couple whose daughter had died tragically. Over the years, as more of her friends' children died, she adapted the poem for each child, making it specific for the family.

Facts

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Anyone interested in making a donation to benefit Casey Wilsey's children may deliver or mail donations to Gainesville Pediatric Associates at 6440 W. Newberry Road, Suite 402. Make checks payable to Devin Nelson, who is Wilsey's eldest son and appointed guardian for her three youngest children, ages 8, 6 and 5.

But she never thought she would have to adapt the poem for herself.

On Friday, Maples read her poem at her daughter Casey Renee Wilsey's funeral, only four days after police say Casey, 37, was fatally stabbed in her car at a parking garage of North Florida Regional Medical Center by her estranged husband, Walker Gage Wilsey Sr., 46.

Maples trembled as she read her five-stanza poem to a group of about 70 at the Knauff Funeral Home in Williston.

“Casey was so active and so full of life, but to give her up now cuts deep like a knife,” she read, the paper shaking. “We must go on with our memories intact. The child that God gave us, we must now give back.”

According to Gainesville police, Walker Wilsey waited for Casey Wilsey to arrive at work before 9 a.m. on Monday, then stabbed her in the torso as she sat in a vehicle on the third floor of the parking garage.

Casey, a mother of five who lived in Bronson, was a medical assistant who worked at Gainesville Pediatric Associates, which is located in the hospital complex.

Walker Wilsey fled the area and was found dead Monday afternoon in a Daytona Beach home. His throat and wrists had been slit, and two knives were found in the room in what Daytona Beach police said was a suicide.

Daytona Beach police spokesman Jimmie Flynt said the home at 126 Dundee Road belonged to Paul Salvatore, an acquaintance with whom Walker Wilsey was staying in recent days.

April Stair, a neighbor of the man Walker Wilsey was staying with, said Walker arrived at the home in Daytona Beach two days before police say Walker killed his estranged wife and committed suicide. Salvatore told his neighbor that Walker had appeared depressed and talked about his upcoming divorce, Stair said.

On the day of Casey's death, Salvatore told Stair that Walker Wilsey had left the home before he woke up at 6 a.m., but had not told Salvatore he was leaving. Walker came back to the Daytona Beach home at 1:30 p.m. while Salvatore and another friend were working on a truck.

The owner of the home Salvatore rents also had shown up that day and when she saw Walker, she asked him if he wanted to go for a ride. Walker declined and told his friend he was going to take a shower.

A while later, Salvatore went into his home to get more supplies for the truck, found Walker dead and quickly called 911, Stair said.

“Paul was very upset,” Stair said. “He and Walker had gone to high school together, but he hadn't seen him since then and he didn't know Walker that well. He saw the blood everywhere and couldn't even go in his room.”

At Casey's funeral on Friday, no one mentioned Walker Wilsey. The Rev. Johnie Lee talked about Casey's new boyfriend, Brian Coddington, who is Lee's best friend. Coddington and Casey were kindred spirits, he said.

“I've known Brian for eight years,” Lee said. “But I've seen him have more good days than bad days in the last two months he was with Casey. I have to believe that's because of Casey.”

Dr. Mary Grooms, a doctor at Pediatrics Associates, said that Monday was the worst day for everyone at the office where Casey worked. Grooms said Casey would always tell stories of her children and of how proud she was of her five children: Devin, 20; Miranda, 17; Heaven, 8; Angel, 6; and Gage, 5.

“We saw the best of her every day at work,” Grooms said. “Always showed up with a smile. It's so strange to be in the office without her.”

In the front row, Casey's family shook with tears as they said goodbye. Her children were only told that both their parents had gone to heaven, not how they had gotten there. Shirley Maples' last tearful plea to the group was for remembrance.

For Jason Nelson, Casey Wilsey was not just his sister. She was also the 39-year-old's best friend and fishing buddy.

“We were inseparable as children,” he said. “There was never anything I wouldn't do without her. Even when she went to her friend's house for a total girl thing, I was still there.”

The two grew up together with their mother in Orlando. Nelson, who Casey called “Bubba,” would get his sister ready for school. Together they took care of each other when their mother worked long hours, he said. Together they also helped raise Casey's first child when she had a baby at 17, he said.

Nelson and his sister would take their children together to fish and camp in the outdoors. Her favorite kind of fish to catch was “one that swims,” Nelson said with a laugh.

“At first she didn't want to kill fish, but once she caught her first one, she was ready to go fishing at any given moment with her pink fishing pole,” he said.

Nelson said his sister and Walker Wilsey married after about six to eight months of knowing each other. At one point, Nelson worked with his sister's husband after Walker launched his first construction business, American Southern Steel. By the time Walker opened his second business, Confederate Inc., Nelson rarely spoke to his sister's husband, he said.

When Nelson finally learned of Walker's past, he angrily called his sister to ask why she didn't tell him that her husband was a registered sex offender, Nelson said. “She told me, 'Bubba, I know you and it's not something I wanted to tell you,' ” he said. “I think she knew what my reaction would have been.”

On Monday, when Nelson heard the news of his sister's death, he drove to the woods and had a conversation with himself to calm himself, he said. In his mind, there was no doubt who had killed his sister, he said.

“I had different hopes and dreams for her,” Nelson said. “I was banking on a shining knight in armor for my sister because she deserved one. She was the most beautiful person inside and out.”

Public records and arrest records spanning three states showed that Walker Wilsey was a registered sex offender with a criminal history that includes charges of child rape and domestic violence.

Walker Wilsey was convicted of two counts of child rape in 1988 in Athol, Mass., near his hometown of Amherst when he was 21. Back then, he was known as Gunny Dash Wilsey.

He was arrested in 2000 on charges of misconduct involving weapons in Tucson, Ariz., and later arrested again in 2001 for charges of drug solicitation violation and drug paraphernalia violation, for which he spent time in Arizona State Prison and was released in 2002, according to Arizona Department of Corrections public records.

After he was released, Walker moved to Florida in 2003 and changed his name in Alachua County to Walker Gage Wilsey. In January 2003, a woman filed for a domestic injunction against him in Levy County, and a month later, he was charged with false imprisonment in Alachua County, but the charges were dropped because of insufficient evidence.

Seven months later, he married Casey Nelson in October 2003 in Alachua County, according to public records.

In 2012, Walker's father, Daniel Wilsey, of Ocala, filed for a domestic violence injunction against him in May, according to Marion County public records. Two days later, Walker petitioned for an injunction against his father, records show.

In November 2013, Casey filed for a domestic violence injunction against her husband in Levy County. On Dec. 11, Casey filed for a divorce from Walker and a little over a month later, police found her body in her car in a North Florida Regional Medical Center parking garage.

Debbie Ingling, Walker Wilsey's step-aunt, said her nephew presented himself on excursions as a controlling and abusive husband and father. Although he was never physically abusive in front of her, Ingling said Walker Wilsey was verbally abusive to his wife.

“She feared him,” she said. “She endured a lot of abuse from him, and did all she could to keep him pacified.”

Several family members, including Nelson, Maples and Ingling, said that after Casey filed for the injunction, Walker took the three youngest kids from her to an unknown location for a short time. Levy County Sheriff's Office public information officer Lt. Scott Tummond said that, although the agency knew Walker had taken the children, he had not kidnapped them because the couple was still married, and Walker legally still had equal guardianship. The agency therefore could not arrest Walker or search for the children, Tummond said.

One of Casey's cousins, who did not wish to be named, said that finding out about Walker's past was surprising for the whole family. Casey's family originally thought the child rape allegations were from when Walker was 17 and the alleged victim was 16.

“I think Casey knew he had a little bit of a past, but I don't think she ever knew who she married,” the cousin said.

Although Casey's cousin hadn't seen her in a couple of years, she knew the mother of five was working hard and being the breadwinner in the family. She said she believes if her family had known more about Walker's criminal past that they could have prevented Casey's death.

“This can happen to anyone,” the cousin said. “Casey was a fantastic person, and she was murdered outside of her job. If you're in this kind of relationship, you need to open your eyes. This can happen to you, too.”

<p>GAINESVILLE -- Shirley Maples wrote a poem in 1993 for a couple whose daughter had died tragically. Over the years, as more of her friends' children died, she adapted the poem for each child, making it specific for the family.</p><p>But she never thought she would have to adapt the poem for herself.</p><p>On Friday, Maples read her poem at her daughter Casey Renee Wilsey's funeral, only four days after police say Casey, 37, was fatally stabbed in her car at a parking garage of North Florida Regional Medical Center by her estranged husband, Walker Gage Wilsey Sr., 46.</p><p>Maples trembled as she read her five-stanza poem to a group of about 70 at the Knauff Funeral Home in Williston. </p><p>“Casey was so active and so full of life, but to give her up now cuts deep like a knife,” she read, the paper shaking. “We must go on with our memories intact. The child that God gave us, we must now give back.”</p><p>According to Gainesville police, Walker Wilsey waited for Casey Wilsey to arrive at work before 9 a.m. on Monday, then stabbed her in the torso as she sat in a vehicle on the third floor of the parking garage.</p><p>Casey, a mother of five who lived in Bronson, was a medical assistant who worked at Gainesville Pediatric Associates, which is located in the hospital complex.</p><p>Walker Wilsey fled the area and was found dead Monday afternoon in a Daytona Beach home. His throat and wrists had been slit, and two knives were found in the room in what Daytona Beach police said was a suicide.</p><p>Daytona Beach police spokesman Jimmie Flynt said the home at 126 Dundee Road belonged to Paul Salvatore, an acquaintance with whom Walker Wilsey was staying in recent days.</p><p>April Stair, a neighbor of the man Walker Wilsey was staying with, said Walker arrived at the home in Daytona Beach two days before police say Walker killed his estranged wife and committed suicide. Salvatore told his neighbor that Walker had appeared depressed and talked about his upcoming divorce, Stair said.</p><p>On the day of Casey's death, Salvatore told Stair that Walker Wilsey had left the home before he woke up at 6 a.m., but had not told Salvatore he was leaving. Walker came back to the Daytona Beach home at 1:30 p.m. while Salvatore and another friend were working on a truck.</p><p>The owner of the home Salvatore rents also had shown up that day and when she saw Walker, she asked him if he wanted to go for a ride. Walker declined and told his friend he was going to take a shower.</p><p>A while later, Salvatore went into his home to get more supplies for the truck, found Walker dead and quickly called 911, Stair said.</p><p>“Paul was very upset,” Stair said. “He and Walker had gone to high school together, but he hadn't seen him since then and he didn't know Walker that well. He saw the blood everywhere and couldn't even go in his room.”</p><p>At Casey's funeral on Friday, no one mentioned Walker Wilsey. The Rev. Johnie Lee talked about Casey's new boyfriend, Brian Coddington, who is Lee's best friend. Coddington and Casey were kindred spirits, he said.</p><p>“I've known Brian for eight years,” Lee said. “But I've seen him have more good days than bad days in the last two months he was with Casey. I have to believe that's because of Casey.”</p><p>Dr. Mary Grooms, a doctor at Pediatrics Associates, said that Monday was the worst day for everyone at the office where Casey worked. Grooms said Casey would always tell stories of her children and of how proud she was of her five children: Devin, 20; Miranda, 17; Heaven, 8; Angel, 6; and Gage, 5.</p><p>“We saw the best of her every day at work,” Grooms said. “Always showed up with a smile. It's so strange to be in the office without her.”</p><p>In the front row, Casey's family shook with tears as they said goodbye. Her children were only told that both their parents had gone to heaven, not how they had gotten there. Shirley Maples' last tearful plea to the group was for remembrance. </p><p>“Please never forget what a wonderful girl my daughter was,” Maples said. </p><p>For Jason Nelson, Casey Wilsey was not just his sister. She was also the 39-year-old's best friend and fishing buddy.</p><p>“We were inseparable as children,” he said. “There was never anything I wouldn't do without her. Even when she went to her friend's house for a total girl thing, I was still there.”</p><p>The two grew up together with their mother in Orlando. Nelson, who Casey called “Bubba,” would get his sister ready for school. Together they took care of each other when their mother worked long hours, he said. Together they also helped raise Casey's first child when she had a baby at 17, he said. </p><p>Nelson and his sister would take their children together to fish and camp in the outdoors. Her favorite kind of fish to catch was “one that swims,” Nelson said with a laugh.</p><p>“At first she didn't want to kill fish, but once she caught her first one, she was ready to go fishing at any given moment with her pink fishing pole,” he said. </p><p>Nelson said his sister and Walker Wilsey married after about six to eight months of knowing each other. At one point, Nelson worked with his sister's husband after Walker launched his first construction business, American Southern Steel. By the time Walker opened his second business, Confederate Inc., Nelson rarely spoke to his sister's husband, he said.</p><p>When Nelson finally learned of Walker's past, he angrily called his sister to ask why she didn't tell him that her husband was a registered sex offender, Nelson said. “She told me, 'Bubba, I know you and it's not something I wanted to tell you,' ” he said. “I think she knew what my reaction would have been.”</p><p>On Monday, when Nelson heard the news of his sister's death, he drove to the woods and had a conversation with himself to calm himself, he said. In his mind, there was no doubt who had killed his sister, he said.</p><p>“I had different hopes and dreams for her,” Nelson said. “I was banking on a shining knight in armor for my sister because she deserved one. She was the most beautiful person inside and out.”</p><p>Public records and arrest records spanning three states showed that Walker Wilsey was a registered sex offender with a criminal history that includes charges of child rape and domestic violence.</p><p>Walker Wilsey was convicted of two counts of child rape in 1988 in Athol, Mass., near his hometown of Amherst when he was 21. Back then, he was known as Gunny Dash Wilsey.</p><p>He was arrested in 2000 on charges of misconduct involving weapons in Tucson, Ariz., and later arrested again in 2001 for charges of drug solicitation violation and drug paraphernalia violation, for which he spent time in Arizona State Prison and was released in 2002, according to Arizona Department of Corrections public records.</p><p>After he was released, Walker moved to Florida in 2003 and changed his name in Alachua County to Walker Gage Wilsey. In January 2003, a woman filed for a domestic injunction against him in Levy County, and a month later, he was charged with false imprisonment in Alachua County, but the charges were dropped because of insufficient evidence.</p><p>Seven months later, he married Casey Nelson in October 2003 in Alachua County, according to public records.</p><p>In 2012, Walker's father, Daniel Wilsey, of Ocala, filed for a domestic violence injunction against him in May, according to Marion County public records. Two days later, Walker petitioned for an injunction against his father, records show.</p><p>In November 2013, Casey filed for a domestic violence injunction against her husband in Levy County. On Dec. 11, Casey filed for a divorce from Walker and a little over a month later, police found her body in her car in a North Florida Regional Medical Center parking garage.</p><p>Debbie Ingling, Walker Wilsey's step-aunt, said her nephew presented himself on excursions as a controlling and abusive husband and father. Although he was never physically abusive in front of her, Ingling said Walker Wilsey was verbally abusive to his wife.</p><p>“She feared him,” she said. “She endured a lot of abuse from him, and did all she could to keep him pacified.”</p><p>Several family members, including Nelson, Maples and Ingling, said that after Casey filed for the injunction, Walker took the three youngest kids from her to an unknown location for a short time. Levy County Sheriff's Office public information officer Lt. Scott Tummond said that, although the agency knew Walker had taken the children, he had not kidnapped them because the couple was still married, and Walker legally still had equal guardianship. The agency therefore could not arrest Walker or search for the children, Tummond said.</p><p>One of Casey's cousins, who did not wish to be named, said that finding out about Walker's past was surprising for the whole family. Casey's family originally thought the child rape allegations were from when Walker was 17 and the alleged victim was 16.</p><p>“I think Casey knew he had a little bit of a past, but I don't think she ever knew who she married,” the cousin said.</p><p>Although Casey's cousin hadn't seen her in a couple of years, she knew the mother of five was working hard and being the breadwinner in the family. She said she believes if her family had known more about Walker's criminal past that they could have prevented Casey's death.</p><p>“This can happen to anyone,” the cousin said. “Casey was a fantastic person, and she was murdered outside of her job. If you're in this kind of relationship, you need to open your eyes. This can happen to you, too.”</p>